The £1.2m M4 speed trap

By Richard Savill

12:01AM BST 04 Jul 2005

Two temporary speed cameras on the M4 have clocked up £1.2 million in fines in two months. More than 20,000 motorists - the equivalent of one driver every five minutes - have been caught exceeding the 40 mph limit at roadworks near the Bath junction since the middle of April.

The Avon and Somerset Safety Camera Partnership said the cameras were put up to protect workers building a £10.7 million crawler lane, which is due to be completed in January.

But Paul Smith, an anti-speed camera campaigner who organised an M4 go-slow protest in April, said the speed cameras were "about making money".

He said: "What we have got with this system is cash-hungry quangos with wage bills to pay and plans to implement and they live on fine income.

"Nobody wants to see road workers injured, everyone wants to see these projects executed efficiently, sensibly and with a minimum of risk. But I wouldn't mind betting that most of the time those drivers were issued tickets, there were no road workers on the motorway."

Anyone breaking the 40mph limit risks an automatic £60 fine and three points on their licence. Of the 20,000 motorists caught by the two cameras on either side of the carriageway, 2,100 were driving at speeds high enough for them to be taken to court.

The figures were disclosed after the camera on the westbound carriageway was set on fire shortly before 1am last Wednesday. It has been replaced.

Sgt Mel Small, of the road policing unit at Avon and Somerset police, who works with the Safety Camera Partnership, said the number of drivers breaking the limit was "frightening".

He said: "Because the work involves closing carriageways and contraflows on the motorway, we have imposed the temporary 40 mph speed limit.

The limit has been set at 40 mph rather than 50 mph, because the narrow lanes and heavy traffic are said to pose a particular risk to workers.

If motorists continue to be caught at the present rate, it is estimated that 70,000 will receive tickets by the end of the year, totalling £4 million in fines.

So far this year, four workers across Britain have been killed and four seriously injured when hit by vehicles during motorway roadworks.